The Hurtful Horn
by Cunaie
Summary: Naota enjoys his solace under the bridge, only to discover something is wrong; Haruko and Mamimi are nowhere to be found. Going home, he finds Haruko, and new headache...


Well, well, well…This is my first fan fiction. I hope you all enjoy it. Read. Review. Eat toast. -Cunaie.-

The Hurtful Horn

Chapter 1

Under the shadows of the bridge, a pen limp in his hand, Naota sat near the river, listening to it trickle over the debris that had cultivated itself in their over the years. He licked his lips, and discovered how chapped they where. His lazy eyes slowly drew over his textbook, scanning all the useless things in it. Grammar seemed like such an annoyance, and a waste of time. Nothing to be tested over, or given as a required knowledge. The smell of industry flooded him when a car passed over head, leaving a trail of black exhaust and dirt to fall off the bridge. All industry was a pain in the neck. Ever since the new factory of Metal Mechanica infected his city, everything seemed monopolized.

A baseball bat remained near his side, rolling on its side whenever a wind came passing through, making a slight nose against the hard ground, over little pebbles and dirt. Setting his notebook down, closing it with one hand, Naota stared up at the bridge over his head.

"…This is stupid," he concluded. And of course, it _was _stupid. Sitting under the bridge was stupid. Doing his homework outside was stupid. Becoming annoyed by the hustle of suburbia was stupid. Standing up, he pocketed his hands, his fingers playing idly with some lint that had collected within. His face remained apathetic, and showed signs of boredom. But something bothered him more than usual. Where was Mamimi? And what about Haruko? What if they had gotten into trouble?

"…Really, this is so stupid," he said again, as if reassuring himself of his previous thoughts. Maybe something bad had happened to them…but the only thing destructive in Mabase was Haruko. Deciding everything was foolish and not worth him wasting brain power over, he knelt down and scooped up his bat and book, and began to make his way up the side of the river bank, up to the street.

Had it become so late, so quickly? The sun was already hiding behind the rolling hills of Mabase, and no cars could be seen on the bridge, or the road. The daylight hardly peeked out, but enough to let Naota find his way home. Holding his book under his arm, his bat dragging behind him in the dirt, making the sound of neglect and scratching over pebbles.

The moment he arrived to his home, and his fathers business, her pushed open the door to the living room, and dropped his things to the left of him and started taking off his shoes when a hand slide around his waist, pulling him into the softness of breasts.

"Takkun, where have you been?" came a high voice full of debatable sincerity. His eyelids lowered halfway over his dulled eyes.

"None of your business, Haruko."

"Don't take that tone with your housekeeper."

"You don't clean anything."

"I cleaned the shower."

"You did not. You said you did because you took a shower."

"It got wet and soapy. It's clean enough for me, then."

"…You bug me."

"I know. So…."

" 'So' what?"

"So, are you going to tell me what you where up to?"

"No."

Without taking a second opportunity to bother him further, Haruko let her grip go, and slid back into the living room as Naota continued to take his shoes off, tossing them to the side. The bubbling personality of Haruko was infectious, and he smiled quickly, and then faced her with a sullen expression. She sat in the center, watching an old American movie in black and white, wearing one of his baseball jerseys and pajama pants.

"This is a good show, nyaoh. It's like one of those movies where the kids are all whiney and want to die and stuff."

"Those movies are stupid, Haruko."

"Well, yeah. I know."

"Then why do you watch them?"

"'Cause that's the cool thing to do."

Haruko's definition of "cool" was a subject to be well enough debated. Sitting beside her without any use or gaining anything, he rested beside her as the audio of the TV drowned out his thoughts. Haruko slid an arm around him, and pulled him to her side, grinning as she ate pop-corn. Deciding not to fight it, Naota sat there, watching the old movie about the teenagers who wanted to die, but couldn't. The evening drifted off into the early hours of the morning, somewhere around 2:00 A.M. did Naota decide he was tired.

"I should sleep."

"Sleeping is for dead people." Replied Haruko.

"Then I'll go 'die'" He said grimly, standing and scratching his head. "I have a headache too." Haruko looked up with a cynic hopefulness in her eyes.

"Really, now?"

"Don't you even think about it!" Naota replied, pointing at her. The moment his voice rose, so did a bump on his head.

"What? Oh, no! Not again! Grah!" Grabbing the horn, he whimpered in frustration as Haruko lay on the floor, grinning and eating popcorn. Struggling with the horn on his head, Naota screamed and threw himself onto the floor.

"Why does it hurt this time!" He said looking to Haruko.

"Well, you're a growing boy, Takkun."

"That's not what I mean, Haruko! It really hurts! WHY DOES IT HURT!"

_Fin_

And with that, I have to end my first chapter. Cliff hangers are wonderful. Please review if you like. I hope you enjoyed it.


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